Another lesson
by olansamuelle
Summary: Set after season 1. Crixus kept his promise, Batiatus is dead. Now it is time for Spartacus to keep his, and the Thracian has realized too that this is bigger than any of them. One-shot.


**Title: **Another lesson

**Rating: **T

**Notes: **originally written for the livejournal community spartacus2010's first comment ficfest. Prompt: friendship. I am not your enemy.

**Summary: **Set after season 1. Crixus kept his promise, Batiatus is dead. Now it is time for Spartacus to keep his, and the Thracian has realized too that this is bigger than any of them.

_**OOOOO**_

Gathering them all had not been easy, and Spartacus knew their unity would be but a fleeting one once the excitement faded and layers of old rivalries, alliances and individual desires resurfaced on each of them. Sitting under a lonely tree in the still of the night, his sole moment of sought solitude each day, Spartacus wondered if he could really glue them together under the banner of justice and freedom now that they were no longer slaves.

Many saw him as a legend and a leader, yet not all of them.

"Spartacus."

And if he could not hold that one man by his side, his cause, this new path he had embraced with terrifying clarity, would die without any doubt. The Thracian raised his head and stood as Crixus approached.

"Oenomaus said we are headed for Pompeii."

The voice sounded neutral, yet Spartacus hinted disapproval. Still, he nodded. "Varro spoke once of the mount towering over it. If we set camp there we will have increased opportunity to plan a strategy concealed from the Romans. Gather ourselves, become strong."

"You made a promise, Thracian."

"And I have not turned my back to it." And truly he had not. Mira had been sent to look for Naevia, beaten and sold, her fault being falling in love with the wrong man. But Spartacus also knew that he had become responsible for the lives of men, women and children now looking at him as a guide. This was bigger than him, than Crixus or Naevia, and the knowledge pained Spartacus, and his mind had struggled for days now on how to conciliate his oath to the Gaul and this new path.

"Sending two girls away to seek for her is not enough. I am leaving. I will not return but with Naevia by my side."

"If you leave now you will meet death the moment you set foot in a city. Mira and Aurelia are but women, and Aurelia is a Roman, she can move around arising no suspicion. What would you do? Slaughter every Roman until you find her?"

"If I must."

"You did not ask for Naevia's whereabouts."

"Domin– Lucretia would not tell. I asked. She bribed."

"Was it your blade then?" The Gaul nodded. "Yet she would not part her lips and speak the truth." It wasn't quite a question. Spartacus had not spent a lot of time with the woman. She was strong, or so she had seemed. She gave commands and used them as her husband did. And bore no sympathies for him. He had heard rumours, about her and Crixus. And then Mira had told him of Domina being with child. He had wondered if Crixus knew.

"She would see all those Romans dead if I set her and Batiatus out of the villa. Such is the kind of woman she was. I did not believe her."

Spartacus nodded. Why would he buy the words of those who had betrayed them so many times? But if Crixus had done it…The Gaul would have broken the promise he made to him. The Gaul had wasted opportunity and branded himself with honour again. Humbling him with a lesson once more.

"You asked me to join you, Spartacus, and I did. Now it is your turn to prove yourself the man you claim to be. I am not letting Naevia share your wife's fate. Neither will you."

"Word will spread of our deed, Crixus, more and more slaves are joining our cause and–" His eyes were met with Crixus' sword, the point on his neck.

"I do not fucking care about your cause if it does not bring Naevia back into my arms, Thracian. You do as much as look the other way, my steel slicing your neck will be the last thing you see."

And with those words the Gaul left. He had been right, he had not lied to him. In another life they would have been like brothers, yet in this one… In this one Spartacus could only be grateful that Crixus did not see an enemy in him. Regaining his place on the ground by the tree, Spartacus closed his eyes and hoped for Sura to come to his dreams.

_**Fin.**_


End file.
